Artist

I’ve been subjected to the definition of “Artist” for too many years to count. In the end, I find myself wondering if I need a new word to describe what I do because I can’t be an artist. What I do isn’t art just because I say it is so, I can’t be an artist. What I paint isn’t cutting edge or experimental so that leaves me out. I never got a Masters degree in art so I’m not a “serious” artist. I don’t live in New York. I can’t cut hair. I’m not much of an interior decorator. I’m not enough of a showman and I’m not gay…I just don’t fit anyone’s definition of artist these days. I wonder what would happen to music if we started to apply the same rules to it. It’s music because I say it is. “Officer, no muffler on my car is my music and my art”. If the definition doesn’t work for all the art forms can it work for just one? If we let the word be used for anything then what does it mean? It means “anything”, and “nothing” at the same time. I feel like Art has been dead for some time and now everyone is just feeding on the scraps.

youre right michael. you are not an artist, besides ANYONE can be an artist an artists are really nothing special. any artist has a broad range of creativity which is cool and sometimes avant garde but not exactly talent. in my opinion, what you are is a fine artist, an artist of fine art. you are this because i believe you have a God-given gift! ~an extraodinary talent… we regular people are in awe of your ability to visualize and reproduce or conceive an image through color. it’s true though, fine artists like yourself are usually the unsung heros of today’s art world with many genres being introduced everyday. the market is saturated with so called artistisc images. i imagine the true fine artists of throughout history felt the same way you say you feel in this post.